UPnP and your Home Router!

This morning I wanted to share some information on your home router and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). UPnP is a feature that allows your system to change when it detects new hardware. This feature can be used by hackers and malware to access your network/system.

Recently information has been given out that UPnP needs to be disabled on your router. It has been a few weeks since the government and security structures gave this information out, but it amazes me at how many people still have this enabled on their routers at home.

If you are interested in what UPnP does exactly or why it's vulnerability there are plenty of articles out there, but for some reading on the reason's you'll want to look at great security sites like:

If you're wondering how to disable this feature it will depend on your brand of router, but I do intend on helping out where I can.

If you've changed your address or already know it, skip the first section.

If you already know you Router Login Username and Password, enter the GUI and find UPnP under Administration with most routers

First, you'll need to login to your router GUI (Graphical User Interface) but before we can do this we need to find out your router's address.

To find the routers address

ALL commands are to be input WITHOUT the "" markers!

Press the Windows button on your keyboard PLUS the letter "r"; this will bring up the run command prompt.

Windows Run

Inside the Run box enter "cmd" and press enter.

Next, enter the following command "ipconfig" and press enter.

Then you'll want to look for the Default Gateway in that list it should look something like "192.168.1.1" and write it down. We'll be using it again in a moment.

IPConfig return

Now you're ready to login to your router! So, open a internet browser and enter the Default Gateway number you wrote inside the address bar and hit enter.

Logging into your router

Logging in depends on your brand of router, but just as everything, a username and password should be needed to gain access to the router GUI. MOST routers will have the username default as "admin". The Password is where it changes. It could be "admin" again or even blank. To find out your routers default password go here

If you already know your router username and password, please use it to login

You should be prompted with a login, so use the default password unless you changed it yourself you obtained from the website.

About this time you should be logged into your router. MOST routers have the UPnP option under the Administration tab. I have taken screenshots of my Linksys by Cisco router below.

Linksys by Cisco tabs

Administration Tab with UPnP at the bottom

After disabling this feature, you'll want to restart the router. Some routers can be restarted over the GUI you're in, but you can always unplug it manually and then plug it back in. I suggest waiting a minimum of 30 seconds before plugging it back in.

IF after restarting your router you cannot connect via WiFi please do the following:

Enter Command Prompt as you did before (Windows+R on Keyboard, type cmd, press enter) and type "ipconfig /release" and hit enter. After the return is received, type "ipconfig /renew" and hit enter. This renewed your lease to your router over WiFi connection and you should be good to go.

I hope that this helped you guys out and if you run into any problems with the process please comment below and I will respond with fixes and help as needed.